Harvesting
& Storing Vegetables

Harvesting Vegetables

For
fullest flavor and nutritional value, it is important to harvest your
vegetables at the right time. Many can be harvested at just about any
stage of their growth, but others do not have their best taste if they
are picked when they are under-ripe or overripe; they must be harvested
at exactly the right point in their development.

If you want the vegetables you have grown to arrive on
your table at the peak of perfection, the following are a few
suggestions and basic rules on how and when to harvest them:

Asparagus. Plants started from
roots should not be harvested until the second year. Plants started
from seed are not harvested until the third year. The asparagus spears
are ready to harvest when they are about 8 inches long. Mound dirt up
over the bases of the spears if you want them to be white and tender.

Beans. Pick the snap type when the
pods are young and succulent. For dry beans, let the bean pods mature
on the vines, but be sure to harvest before they get so dry that they
shatter.

Beets. Best quality and food value
are obtained if they are harvested when the beets are no more than 1 to
1½ inches in diameter. If you are canning them, add just a little dill
for flavor.

Cabbage. Cut arid harvest cabbage
heads when they are firm.

Carrots. They can be harvested at
any size; however, it is best to harvest them before they reach 1 inch
in diameter if you plan to eat them fresh. Larger carrots are good for
canning or storage.

Corn. For best flavor, most
varieties should be picked when they are a creamy yellow instead of an
orange yellow. Another sign that corn is ready for harvest is when the
silks are drying. Fullness of the tip kernels and firmness of the
husked ears are other signs to look for. Corn should be prepared
immediately if you want to enjoy full flavor and nutritional value.

Cucumbers. They can be harvested
at almost any stage of development before they begin to turn yellow.

Eggplant. Be sure to harvest
eggplant while the fruits are still glossy.

Lettuce. The young, succulent
leaves can be picked at almost any stage of development. If left too
long, however, they will go to seed and lose their best flavor.

Onions. Pick the green bunching
type about seven to nine weeks after planting. Most dry onions take two
to four months before they are ready. Let the dry onions hang upside
down for several days before storing them.

Peas. For best flavor and food
value, peas should be picked while the pods are still green and before
the peas begin to harden. Check the vines regularly for maturity. Use
them immediately if you want to enjoy the best flavor and nutritional
value.

Peppers. They should be harvested
when the fruits are nice and firm.

Potatoes. Young potatoes can be
harvested at about the same time as the peas ripen, but mature potatoes
are not harvested until the vines die. Store them in a dark location
that is well ventilated and where temperatures are between 40 and 50
degrees. Do not store them near apples. Discard or use all bruised and
damaged potatoes; do not store them.

Pumpkins. Allow them to mature on
the vine. Harvest them with part of the stem intact before the first
severe freeze.

Radishes. Check them regularly
because the large radishes become pithy and unusable.

Spinach. Spinach leaves can be
harvested as soon as they are large enough to use.

Squash. Summer squashes should be
used when they are young and tender with a rind that is easily
penetrated by a thumbnail. Fall and winter varieties must have hard
rinds. Pick them when they are mature, when the stems begin to turn
brown and shrivel.

Tomatoes. Fruit can be picked
either when fully ripe or when pink.

Storing Vegetables

Many vegetables can be stored for use during the
winter. Practically every home has at least one spot where vegetables
can be safely stored. Some ideal spots are an unheated basement, a
garage, or the crawl space under the home. A cold, dark attic, a spot
under a staircase, or cupboards in the utility room also are often
suitable for storing vegetables.

Most vegetables should be stored in boxes or on
shelves. Never place vegetables on a dirt or cement floor, as both tend
to be too moist. Some root crops like carrots and beets can be stored
in a pit, barrel, or box in vermiculite, sand, or light soil in a cool,
well-ventilated room.

Ideal temperatures for storage are between 35 and 50
degrees. The room should be dark and well ventilated. Avoid storing
vegetables in a humid room, but the air should have a lithe humidity.
Vegetables that show any sign of decay or bruising should be used
immediately and not placed in storage. Decay can very rapidly spread to
your healthy vegetables, spoiling them also.

It should be pointed out that this is only one way to
keep vegetables for an extended time, and not all vegetables should be
kept in this way. Many vegetables can be specially treated to help
retain a higher percentage of their natural flavor and food value.
Blanching, freezing, canning, and drying are some of the techniques you
can use to accomplish this, Refer to a reliable cookbook or the
homemaking section of your newspaper, or obtain information from the
Cooperative Extension Service for exact processing procedures.